Manufacture of reenforced paper and the like



Feb. 25, 1930. w. H. MILLSPAUGH 1,748,360

MANUFACTURE OF REENFORCED PAPER AND THE LIKE Filed April 16. 1926 416INVENTOR Zz/wz'am J1. B M QM HIS ATTORNEYS Patented Feb. 25, 1930 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE WILLIAM H. MILLSPAUGH, OF SANDUSKY, OHIO, ASSIGNORTO THE PAPER AND TEX- TILE MACHINERY (10., OF SANDUSKY, OHIO, ACORPORATION OF OHIO MANUFACTURE OF REENFORCED PAPER AND THE LIKEApplication filed April 16,

' This invention aims to provide an im'-' proved method and means foruse in the manufacture of laminated products composed of paper andanother material.

One practicable form of machine suitable for use in practicing a methodembodying the invention is shown for illustration in the annexeddrawings, by reference to which the invention will be readilyunderstood.

In said drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the illustrative machine, certain partsbeing shown in section;

Fig. 2 exemplifies a material adapted to in corporation with papersheets in a reenforced laminated product; and

Fig. 3 illustrates another form of material adapted to similar use.

The illustrative machine is described in connection with a process ofmaking paper having incorporated reenforcement of reticular materialsuch as wire netting, which material is useful, among other purposes,for the manufacture of cartons or boxes or linings for the same.

Referring to the drawings, 4 and 5 respectiv'ely denote paper formingsuction-rolls which may be rotated in opposite directions as indicatedby the arrows. By appropriate suction-box equipment, said rolls areshown eachprovided with vacuum-chambers 6 and 7 in which uninterruptedvacua of proper degree may be maintained by communicating vacuum-pumpsor other vacuum-producing apparatus (not shown).

Endless wire-cloths or making wires 8 and 9 typifying appropriatestrainer mediums are shown entrained respectively upon the suction-rolls4 and 5. In addition to providing sheet forming surfaces on the vacuumexposed areas of these rolls, said wires or mediums may serve also toconvey the sheets of paper formed on said rolls, to succeeding elementsof the machine.

Means represented by vats 10 are shown adjacent the rolls 4 and 5forholding liquid stock in contact with the forming surfaces of said rolls.In this instance the vats are adapted to hold and supply the stock uponthe arcs of the rolls exposed to the vacuum action of 1926. Serial No.102,548.

the chambers 6 therein. Stock of a character suitable for finished papermanufacture may be continuously supplied to and maintained at properlevels in the vats by appropriate means (not shown).

The sheet carrying runs of the wires 8 and 9 are shown converging for areason which will hereinafter be apparent. In this instance, they areentrained against and defiected by one of a pa1r of squeeze-rolls 11,which may or may not be adjusted to exert pressure on the coacting runsof the wires and the intervening material carried thereby, according toworking requirements. These coacting press or squeeze-rolls arepreferably of soft rubber or rubber-coated in order to grip the wireswithout possible injury thereto. Adjusting means for said squeeze-rollsis indicated in Fig. 1.

The coacting runs of the wires 8 and 9 are shown adapted to travelcooperatively from the deflecting roll or rolls, to a roll 12, which inthis instance and for purposes hereinafter mentioned, is a suction-roll.In some cases,

however, for example, when making heavy wall-board, this roll need notbe a suctionroll. Said roll 12 may serve as a bottom guide-roll for thewire 8 while the wire 9 may travel around a lower guide-roll 13. Otherguiding and tensioning rolls engaging the return runs of the wires areindicated at 14.

Means represented by a drum 15, which for convenience is shown locatedabove the forming-rolls 4 and 5 and adapted to free rotation, isprovided for supplying reenforcing material between the converging wirescarrying the sheets formed on said rolls. In the illustrative machine, areinforcing material denoted by the numeral 16, is shown supplied fromthe drum 15 and introduced between the paper sheets at the point wherethe wires 8 and 9 are brought together and deflected against one of thepair of squeeze-rolls 11. The material supplied by said drum is ofreticular form, such for instance as wire netting, poultry Wire, cheesecloth, burlap or other reinforcing material either woven or unwoven.However, material of a character similar to that illustrated in eitherof Figs.

2 and 3, is regarded as preferable.

In the illustrative machine, the cylinders of the rolls 4 and 5 areadapted to be rotated in such directions as to move the endless wires 8and 9 upwardly through arcs of contact.

with the liquid stock in the vats, a continuous Wet sheet or ply beingformed on each of said wires by the action of vacuum in thevacuumchambers 6 of the rolls, as said wires respectively traverse theareas of the cylinders exposed to the action of the aforesaid chambers.Water from the stock from which the paper forms is drawn off throughsaid vacuumchambers, the newly formed sheets being drained ofsubstantial proportions of moisture by the continued action of thevacuum thereon as said sheets are carried beyond the liquid level overthe extended areasof the cylinder segments exposed to the action of saidvacuum-chambers.

The sheets may be formed relatively thin or thick according to thenature of the stock employed, the speed of cylinder rotation and thedegree of vacuum maintained in the for1ning chambers of the respectiverolls. Moreover, they may be caused to form with straight clean-cutedges by restricting or confining the liquid stock bearing upon theforming areas of the rolls between laterally adjustable plates ordeckles conforming to and.

closely overlying the cylindrical surfaces;

The amount of vacuum maintained in the chambers 6 will depend upon thenature or condition of the stock and the desired thickness and characterof the product. By properly adjusting the vacuum, the speed of cylindernotation and the areas of liquid contact therewith, uniform wet sheetsof desired thickness may be produced at fast as well as moderate ratesof speed and sheets or plies of the same ,or unequal thicknesses may beformed from the same class of stock or from different classes of stockas desired.

. In the illustrative machine, a further reduction of the moisturecontents of the paper sheets or plies formed on the rolls 4 and 5,

may be effected by subjecting the sheets to the subsequent action ofvacuum in the chambers 7 of said rolls, as the sheets are carried overthe latter chambers by the endless mediums which convey them from theirplaces of formation. The vacuum in the tast mentioned chambers may beadjusted so as to force quantities of air through the sheets and expelmoisture therefrom suflicient to bring them to a desired low-moisturecontent. Such a reduction in moisture content of the sheets isespecially appropriate where the sheets are to be consolidated or bondedin a plural-ply web, a low-moisture content being generally desirablefor perfect bonding and it is otherwise advantageous to expel allmoisture from the sheets in excess of that actually required for perfectbonding. According to require ments, depending upon the nature of thestock and the character of product in formation, the vacuum maintainedin the chambers 7 may obviously be greater or less than the vacuummaintained to form the sheets.

By this method of forcing regulated quantities of air or othermoisture-removing media therethrough, the sheets may be uniformlytempered to substantially the moisture content most advantageous foretl'ectual bonding. In the process of manufacturing ordinary grades ofpaper, whether the sheets are to be consolidated in a plural-ply orreenforced web, or are to be treated independently, the means abovedescribed for tempering the sheets would be sufficient for conditioningthe same without necessity for employing additional means of'mechanicalcompression. Furthermore, such a temperin of the sheets may beaccomplished without imitation in the speed of sheet formation or inbonding the same either with or without an incorporated reinforcingmaterial.

After passing over the top surfaces of the rolls 4 and 5, the sheets areshown carried on the converging runs of the wires8 and 9 and broughttogether against one of the pair of squeeze-rolls 11 for bonding, Atthis point the reenforcing material 16 is shown incorporated orinterposed between the sheets, which will readily bond together throughthe interstices or meshes of the material as it is drawn or fedcontinuously therebetween.

In dealing with reenforcing material such as woven-wire, a convenientway of introducing the material at the start of the operation is toattach a strip of ordinary cloth to the end of the woven-wirereenforcing material and to lead this cloth in between the paper sheetson the making-wires so that the cloth will be caught between the sheetsand draw'l the woven-wire reenforcing material after it.

Beyond the deflecting squeeze-rolls, the contacting sheets withintermediately incorporated material, are in this instance carri'edbetween and with pressure applied by the coacting runs of the wires 8and 9 to the roll 12, which as hereinbefore stated, may or may not be asuction-roll.

In the present illustration, the wires 8 and 9 are shown only slightlydeflected against one of the squeeze-rolls 11. In the manufacture ofcertain kinds of paper however, the pressure applied to the contactingsheets or plies alone by the coacting runs of the wires, as deflected byand tensioned between the rolls 11 and 12, may in some cases beinsulticient for complete bonding of the sheets through the meshes ofthe intermediate mate-- rial. In suclncases, the other of the pair ofsqueeze-rolls may be quickly adjusted to exert an increased pressure onthe coacting runs of the wires against the deflecting roll to aid thebonding. Such an adjustment may be made also to aid in drawing orfeeding the reenforcing material between the contacting sheets. Forordinary purposes however, theapplication of increased pressure is notconsidered necessary.

Bonding of the sheets or plies in a consolidated web with interposedreenforcing material may thus be expediently effected with advantageousresults in the quality of the product, the sheets by rapid stages beingfirst pre-formed and then bonded together with the intervening materialafter the method described. I

The'roll 12 which in this instance is employed as a transfer-roll, isshown with its suction-box or chamber arranged to act on the compositeor laminated web'as the latter traverses said roll and to transfer theweb thereonto, or cause the web to adhere to the wire 8, thus preventingsaid web from followingthe roll 13. In the illustrative machine, thecomposite web is shown subsequently transferred from the wire 8 by asuction-roll 18, onto a press-felt 19, the latter beingshown passingthrough a press, which in this instance comprises a squeeze-roll 20 andcoacting suction-roll 21, the vacuumchamber of the latter acting at thebite of the rolls. At its delivery end where the web is indicatedpassing to succeeding elements of the machine, the felt is shown trainedaround a'guide-roll 22, its return run being guided and tensioned by therolls 23, while a guideroll 24 is shown to guide said felt under thetransfer-roll 18. One or more press sections may be employed forsmoothing purposes or for completing the bonding of the sheets where thelatter have been incompletely or only partially bonded between thedeflected coacting runs of the wires 8 and 9.

If desired, additional plies may be incorporated in the reinforcedproduct and with the illustrative machine, the additional plies may bemade on other forming surfaces (not shown) and then transferred onto theendless wires 8 and 9 of the forming surfaces shown, the transfer beingeffected above or in advanceof the point where said wires converge.

The described method of manufacturing reinforced paper sheets or websmay effectually be followed'in manufacturing a reinforced plural-ply webmerely by incorporating additional elements in the illustratedstructure. For example, any number of additional sheet-forming surfacesor cylinders having suction-box equipment and stock-applying meanssimilar to those described with reference to the rolls a and 5, may beincorporated in the illustrative machine by a superstructuralarrangement of parts similar to the arrangement or organization shownand described in my Patent No. 1,718,574 dated June 25, 1929, forimprovements in paper making methods and machines.

In illustration of means for incorporating additional sheets or plies inthe product of the illustrative machine so as to produce a plural-plyreenforced web, endless sheet-carrying mediums or making-wires 25 and 26(which may carry paper sheets formed on other forming-surfaces thanthose illustrated) have been indicated entrained over lower guide-rolls27 in position adjacent to or in contact respectively with the rolls 4and 5 for delivering the sheets carried thereon, onto said rolls. Thetransfer of the conveyed sheets onto these rolls may be aided by themaintenance of suction within the suctionboxes 7 of said rolls.

The above described means for transferring additional sheets or pliesonto the rolls 4 and 5 or onto the sheets continuously forming thereon,may be used in connection with other paper forming-surfaces (not shown)which may be embodied in the machine or comprise an entirely separatemachine. Thus any number of additional forming-surfaces, in conjunctionwith the rolls 4 and 5, may be employed in simultaneously forming andtempering continuous paper sheets or piles to be brought ultimatelytogether and bonded in a composite reenforced web withone or morelaminations of rcenforcing material interposed therebetween, the endlessmediums or making-wires from such additional forming-surfaces beingarranged or trained to deliver the sheets formed thereon, onto one orthe other of the illustrated forming-surfaces. 4

. Numerous other forms of machines may be designed or adapted for use inpracticing this invention and the accompanying drawings are merelyillustrative of one of the many forms of machines or means embodying theinvention and adapted for use in practicing the method embodying thesame in the manufacture of laminated paper products.

Agitators or other means for exciting liquid stock may be employed inthe vats or means supplying stock to the paper-forming surfaces, inorder to maintain the stock in a constant state of agitation effecting acrossed disposition of the pulp fibres in the process of wet sheetformation, and to prevent alinement of the fibres in the direction ofcylinder rotation.

Thus in the illustrative machine, either withor without additionallyincorporated forming-surfaces, the sheets may be preformed and temperedto the desired low moisture content most advantageous for effectualbonding and then brought into contact with one another, or ultimatelyall together in plural-ply web-forming relation intermediate theconverging wires 8 and 9 and through the meshes or interstices of saidmaterial, after which the composite reenforced web is conveyed or passedto succeeding elements of the machine for treatment in drylng andfinishing in the customary manner. Referring to certain details of theillustrative machine, the cylinders of suction-rolls 4 and 5 are showndriven by gears 28 from gears 29. Said rolls or cylinders are preferablymounted in anti-friction bearings of a form similar to that shown anddescribed in my Patent No. 1,700,442 dated January 29, 1929, forimprovements in suction rolls, or of a form similar to that shown anddescribed in my Patent No. 1,532,430, dated April 7, 1925, forimprovements in anti-friction journal bearings, in order to conservepower in effecting rotation thereof and also to facilitate high speedrotation. In the illustrative machine, V the endless mediums orwire-cloth members 8 and 9 are driven by their respective formingcylinders and may be guided andtensioned as indicated, while the severalsmaller rolls have been shown adjustably mounted in suitable bearingmemberson a supporting frame 30.

The formingvacuum-chambers, tempering or moisture regulativevacuum-chambers and suction-boxes of the illustrative machine may beconnected with any suitable vacuum pum s or apparatus capable ofmaintaining the proper vacua in each, as will be readily understood bythose familiar with the suctionroll art. Y

Obviously the present invention is not limited to the specific detailsof construction, arrangement of parts or mode of operation herein shownand described, since various modifications or changes to meet differentres quirements and conditions may be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

Notice is given of my prior and now pending application Serial No.610.539, filed J anuary 3, 1923, based upon a process and machineinvolving continuous vacuum-induced formation of a wet paper sheet on anarea of a rotating cylinder exposed to vacuum action against liquidstock; and of my prior and now pending application Serial No. 610,538,filed January 3, 1923, basedrupon a similar process and machineinvolving vacuum-induced formation of the sheet on an endless wiretraveling around the vacuum cylinder and also involving the simultaneousformation of sheets on oppositely revolving vacuum cylinders and bondingthem to form a unitary plural-ply sheet in which prior applications Iclaim inventions embodied in the disclosure of this application.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A method of the class described characterized by forming paper incontinuous wet sheets by vacuum-induced formation, while extractingwater from the sheets by vacuum action; and uniting a plurality of suchsheets by bonding of the paper material while incorporatingreenforcement between such sheets.-

2. A method of the class described characterized by forming paper incontinuous Wetsheets by vacuum-induced formation, while extracting waterfrom the sheets by vacuum action; convergingly carrying such sheetswhile introducing therebetween a web of diffcrent' material; andpressing the sheets together to unite them with said interposed materialin a single composite web.

A paper-making machine comprising in combination. rotating cylindershaving vacuum areas exposed to liquid stock on which continuous wetsheets are formed; means for tempering the sheets by vacuum to adesiredmoisture condition for bonding; means supplying reenforcementmaterial between theconditioned sheets; and means for bonding the sheetstogether while feeding the reenforcement material therebetween.

4. A paper-making machine comprising in combination, oppositely rotatingcylinders having vacuum areas exposed to liquid stock; endless memberstravelling over said cylinders providing sheet forming surfaces on whichcontinuous wet sheets of paper are formed and by which the sheets arebrought together for bonding; means for extracting moisture from thesheets while on said cylinders by vacuum regulated to condition thesheets for effectual bonding; means supplying reticular reenforcementmaterial between the sheets while bringing the latter in contact; andmeans for bonding the sheets and intervening material together in acomposite web while continuously feeding said material therebetween.

5. A method of the class described charac ,terized by forming wet papersheets and conditioning them for bonding by vacuum action. and uniting aplurality of such conditioned sheetssby bonding of the paper whileincorporating reenforcement between the sheets. 7

- a 6. A machine of the class described having,

tween the sheets brought into contact by said wires.

7. A machine of the class described having, in combination, positelyrotating sheetforming suction ro ls with associated liquid stock holdingmeans; endless wires running around said rolls, on which wet sheets areformed; said wires having converging offbearing runs; andmeans forintroducing rem enforcing material between the sheets as they arebrought together by the said converging runs.

8. A machine of the class described having, in combination, oppositel-rotating suction rolls with associated liqui -stock holding means;endless wires running around said rolls, on which wet sheets are formed,said v wires having descending convergent off-bearing runs arranged tobring the sheets thereon together for bonding; and means for introducingreenforcin material between the sheets as they are brought together bysaid wires.

In testimon whereof I afiix m signature. WIL IAM H. MILLS AUGH.

